By now, we are really missing Singapore. In particular, I miss the play yard that I can put Alfee in and let him play with his toys while I nap beside him. I also miss the DVD collection and books at home that I can use to occupy Sophie. Both of us badly need to have "I" time.
In any case, we decided to make a trip to see Bondi Beach today. We did not intend to do beach activities so we left all our beach stuff at home. The cab ride was not very long but it felt like an eternity because Alfee was wailing in his car seat. Unlike Sophie, he absolutely hates car seat. It is against the law to sit him on my lap and no cab driver would allow it, the driver commented, "... better crying then caught by traffic police..." quite casually.
Bondi Beach was really beautiful and freezing cold! We saw some people swimming and running around on the beach wearing minimally and we were huddling close to keep warm. We did not make it very far before we had to stop and grab a bite to shelter from the harsh winds. The food joint was child-friendly despite its space issue. I think the staff made the difference. There was a few steps to clear before we could enter the restaurant but we did not feel much pressure as the staff helped us all the way in. Though the food was not considered cheap, it was quite good - very local, very fulfilling!
When we felt that we could brave the cold again, we took a hasty stroll down the beach. We came to the cultural centre (or I think maybe our community club equivalent) and stopped again to hide from the winds. By this time, I felt pretty lousy that I could not longer stand the cold very well. Alfee fell asleep so I stayed indoors while Papa took Sophie down to the beach.
When they came back and showed me the video clips taken with our video camera (the files are too huge to upload), I decided I would not stay defeated by the cold. So, Papa carried Alfee while Sophie and I went down to the beach again. Sophie loved the cold winds and soft sand. It was not hot, humid and painful, like that of Singapore sand. I think the cold kind of suited Sophie. She looked really good in a jacket, especially when she did not have wet, sticky hair pasted onto the side of her face.
We heard from the cab driver that in summer, the whole beach is packed with visitors but right now, it is the quiet season. We actually love seaview that the apartments across the beach get. The housing there are pretty much as expensive as Singapore but I think the property tax might be higher. Honestly, we hope to find a better environment for the kids to grow up in. And Sydney looks very promising.
No comments:
Post a Comment